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Friday, July 4, 2014

We had a fun, active, exciting and exhausting Fourth of July today! The first thing on our agenda was the neighborhood celebration. Our ‘hood sponsors a kids’ bike parade followed by play time and lunch at the park/pool/common area. This year, I had my act together and we got to the parade on time, because I learned last year that if you arrive after the parade is over, then you don’t get to be in the parade. Ridiculous, I know.

We even showed up with decorated bikes! By decorated, I mean a Mylar balloon tied to the handle bars (that I may or may not have appropriated from the leftover décor of my office’s pot luck) and a hand held Dollar Store flag. We are talking PINTEREST WORTHY if you know what I mean.

While we did not win any awards for patriotic streamer abundance, we had a great time. And those Mylar balloons came in handy when my kids took off and left me in the dust. (Except my ever-faithful Gracie, who stayed by my side complaining that one lap around the block was too much for her dainty bird legs chatting about how much fun it is to be in a parade.

Boone loved the parade, too. He walked regally beside me, proudly displaying his red, white & blue bandanas and panting the National Anthem. He was also super polite to everyone he met, including lots of neighborhood pooches.

After the parade was over, I spent about 10 minutes searching for Noah. He had made his way to the front of the parade, decided one lap wasn’t enough, and plasma-car’d his little booty all the way around the block again. By himself. Had his own little version of Independence Day. Meanwhile I was celebrating “My kid was stolen during a holiday party and we’re going to be featured in People Magazine” Day. I have NO IDEA how my hair isn’t completely grey from 3 years of parenting that wild soul.

When we were all reunited and my heart rate returned to normal, Noah received a stern lecture and was made to repeat “One man and his balloon a parade does not make” 15 times. Then the kids ran off to play in the bubble machine while I stood in line for lunch at the food truck. They returned, soaked to the bone, and we had a delicious lunch and played in the park for another hour or so before heading home to rest.

Where’s Noah? Yeah, story of my life.

(Before you call CPS, he was back on his plasma car… this time in a well-defined and enclosed area where I could keep an eagle eye on him AT ALL TIMES.)

Back at home the kids relaxed/napped while I baked 96 teeny cupcakes (I counted them) to bring to a surprise engagement party. The son and daughter of two of my co-workers/awesome lady friends got engaged today and Debbie asked us to come to the party with dessert in tow. Aubrey and Michael are the sweetest couple and it was a great party filled with lots of beautiful fresh out of college folks that made me feel really old. :)

My favorite part was when Aubrey read the story book that Michael made her about their relationship – complete with illustrations done by their family and friends!

The kids listened intently most of the time and got their wiggles out/tormented onlookers for the rest of the time.

Once dinner and story time were over, we headed outside to pop some fireworks. The kiddos got in on some sparkler action with the help of Mrs. Kendra and Courtney.

We finally climbed in the van just after 10 and drove home with the windows down listening and watching for all the fireworks. (Bri was at the party with us for a bit, but had to head out to work earlier.) We arrived to the sight of neighbors popping more firecrackers in the cul de sac, so another 30 minutes of sparkler and exploding fun ensued before I was able to drag the kids inside and get them into bed.

I wasn’t sure what Boone would think about the holiday. He enjoyed the parading and flag waving and park playing. During that part, he was all….

The fireworks, however, he did not enjoy. As in, “I’M NOT SURE WHY YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL SO CALM??!! IT IS OBVIOUSLY THE END OF THE TIMES!!! PLEASE HOLD ME WHILST I PEE ON YOU!!!!!”

Super fun. I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July and were able to celebrate John Adams style with “Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations."

I also hope you know what “Shews” are, because unless that’s a fancy way to spell shoes, I think we may have left that part out.